Our Crooked Heart

I’ve never read a book by Melissa Albert and I’ve never read anything that could be classified as fantasy, but for some reason I felt so drawn to the cover and compelled to read this book. And I'm so happy that I did because the book was fantastic!

The first thing that really jumped out at me was how beautifully it’s written. There’s something almost poetic about Melissa’s writing style that I absolutely loved. Her illustrative descriptions of characters – “One of her eyes was in shadow. The other was a cup of liquid light…” – magic, and even the more mundane things – “The night was still, just the faintest breeze hushing like an endless exhale…” – were almost poetic without ever feeling melodramatic. Her writing was vivid and effortlessly transported me to a world that felt complex, all-consuming, and filled with infinite possibilities (both good and bad) while also feeling exclusive and secretive.

The story was told from dual POVs (Ivy in the present day and her mom, Dana, 20 years prior) and was suspenseful, creepy, compelling, funny at times, with a tiny but of romance thrown in as well.

This book was unlike anything I’ve ever read and once the pieces started coming together, I could not put it down! Whether you read fantasy religiously or have never read the genre before, I highly recommend this book. I think it has a little something for everyone to enjoy.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and Melissa Albert for approving my ARC request.

If you like the craft and witches this is a book for you! Ivy is a teenager whose mom dana and aunt fey are always up to something. Dead rabbits start to appear and with her moms disappearance an old friend comes back. This is a mystery supernatural thriller I loved the beginning and the middle I do feel like the ending could have been stretched out a bit or a cliff hanger book 2 would have been fantastic! I can’t get enough of ivy she was by far a great main character I could vividly imagine her and all the characters. This is by far Melissa alberts best book

I’m obsessed with this book. Thanks to #netgalley for the early arc. Looking forward to getting the hard copy to read a second time. This is like a mix of Charmed, The Craft and also for all of us 90s babes growing up just all kinds of great references and relatable angst. I love love love the two different stories and how this helps understand both mother daughter perspectives. And I can feel the fairytale influence that I love from Albert with what happens with Billy. As usual I can’t wait to see what happens next from her writing!!

What is forbidden always seems to have the most allure, but it doesn’t always end up the way you would want. What lengths would you go to to uncover the truth? What if it isn’t worth it?

Having previously read The Hazel Wood and thoroughly enjoying that, I was excited to get an arc of this book. It is always a bit fun to get lost in a magical world, but these characters show that you need to be careful what you wish for.

This story is told from different perspectives as well as timelines to mirror the past to the present and showcase how previous actions effected the present day situations of the characters. At the core of this story is one of bonds and relationships and the lengths to keep those intact.

- You have Dana: a mother so consumed with love of her family and the want to have control and be able to protect them.

- You have Ivy: Dana’s headstrong daughter trying to uncover the truth of her mother and herself in the process.

I really enjoyed this story as I feel like it can resonate with many readers. Your teen years are some very poignant years where you take time to discover yourself and how you allow others to influence your choices and interests. With that being said, it’s also a time where your choices can have long lasting effects that you will spend the rest of your life cherishing or wondering what could’ve happened had you chosen a different path.

The many facets of their magical and supernatural experiences also magnifies their inner turmoil as well as happiness. I could easily visualize what was happening in the story in my minds eye, which made it an even more vivid tale.

Thank you to the author, Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

Thank you to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC. This was the perfect spooky read. It’s a dual POV between Ivy and her mother and follows two different timelines. We learn about her mother Dana’s dark past while Ivy searches for answers in the present. It’s a story full of witches, dark magic, secrets, betrayal, and dead rabbits. It’s also a story about family, friendship, and love. I enjoyed watching both stories unfold but overall I preferred Ivy’s. This would be a great fall read!

I want to start by saying I am a huge fan of Melissa Albert. I absolutely loved The Hazel Wood series; it is one of my all-time favorites and holds a special place in my heart of books. So when I was given the chance to get an early copy of her latest work, I was literally jumping for joy in excitement. That being said, I knew this book wasn’t in the same vein as her previous series, so I didn’t want to cloud my judgement with expectations. Because of their different appeals, it is unfair to weigh them against each other.

(Side note: I love the striking simplicity of this cover!)

This is a standalone fantasy, with elements of mystery and horror - something I expected to love. And as much as I hate to say it, I really didn’t. Ugh, it truly pains me that I couldn’t get into this one. It gave me more contemporary vibes than fantasy, and I think that is one of the main reasons I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I am not a contemporary reader, it’s just not my thing. However, I can objectively see that this is a great book and so many readers are going to love it. I wanted to note these things upfront before diving into the rest of my review. It is a fantasy, as far as the features of magic that the story contains, but as far as reader expectations from the genre, I would say it appeals more to contemporary thriller fans.

It is a haunting tale about the cost of witchcraft. The story unfolds simultaneously from two perspectives in two different timelines, that are impeccably woven and all converge to a sinister and surprising end. The story is expertly layered with horrific secrets, betrayal, and revenge. I enjoyed the darker elements in the story, adding to the building, creeping tension in the plot.

The tenuous and fraying possibilities of both friends and family relationships will pull at your heart strings. There is one character (who I won’t name so there’s no spoilers) that I do wish had a more prominent role. The universal struggles of being a teenager, trying to find your place in the world, and screwing up along the way, is a theme we can all relate to.

The first few chapters hooked me in with its suspicions and mysteries, but I found my interest fizzling out with the story about a third of the way in. I found myself skimming through the last half, invested enough that I wanted to know what happened, but not enough that I cared for the details.

Melissa has one of the most unique and evocative writing styles that makes her voice stand out from the rest. It is one of the things I love most about her stories, her ability to craft complex stories and illustrate them in the most eloquent of ways. Unfortunately though, I found descriptive prose to be a tad excessive in this book, to the point where it felt forced and no longer carried the weight and impact that I know her writing to be capable of.

While this may not be the book for me, I know that a lot of readers out there are going to love it. Even so, my personal experience with it dictates I (sadly) rate this a three star read. I think if the right audience finds this book, they will thoroughly enjoy it. Comparably, I’d say if you enjoy reading from contemporary thriller authors, like Liane Moriarty for example, then this one is for you.

I'd like to thank #netgalley and #flatironbooks for letting me read the eArc of #OurCrookedHearts by #MelissaAlbert.
This was very different than the Hazelwood series. This didn't feel quite YA to me even though it was. It felt much darker than I expected it to be but I must say it did take me longer to read this than I expected it too. I enjoyed it to a certain point but I have to say this one did not strike my fancy so to speak as much as her other books have. I would still recommend this to others especially those who enjoy Melissa Alberts books.

I had a bit of a hard time with this book. It wasn't difficult to read, per se, but I found the writing to be distracting against the excitement of the idea and plotline. Things that were done well include the actual storyline, the way it catches up with each narrator and you find more about each timeline, and I thought the actual idea of the book was unique and well done. My issues were with the choppiness of the writing and how the pacing felt a bit erratic. I have a few lines/descriptions that I wrote down that took me out of the book entirely due to how they were written, and it always makes me feel bad to write them in reviews as if I'm tearing an author apart, so I'll only put a few to demonstrate what I mean: ("bright and uncanny as an elf", "the stars sang their elliptical starsong", "I walked back to my haunted house, holding my haunted head", "down through the wind-colored corridor of mirror world" -- along with moments where the same word/descriptor was used on the same page twice, such as snow globe references or "left to their own devices"). I loved Melissa Albert's other books but I listened to them, and I'm wondering if maybe the stories are exciting enough that they're meant to be enjoyed that way (for me anyway) so I don't notice the inconsistencies as much. With that said, I still ordered this for my library and enjoyed the story, I just as always wish there wasn't some romance thrown in and that there could just be some fun YA books that have the fun plot with nothing else added.

On the surface, Our Crooked Hearts is a spooky urban fantasy full of witches and mystery.

But looking deeper, what I loved was the way the mother/daughter relationship beyween Dana and Ivy is written. As the two reckon with supernatural secrets, their relationship is the hidden gem within Melissa Albert's already exquisite storytelling.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the eARC of Our Crooked Hearts.

Absolutely amazing 5/5 stars. Its a must read. I adore this author and will definitely be a fan for life!

I got this eARC from NetGalley. Thank you to Flatiron Books and Melissa Albert for allowing me to read and review OUR CROOKED HEARTS before its release.

OVERVIEW
Dark Magic
Secrets & Lies
Mother & Daughter Relationship
Historic Chicago
Second Chances
Multiple POVs & Timelines
Content Includes: mature language, drugs & alcohol, dead animals, sexual innuendos, violent threats

I was obsessed when I was in the suburbs, Right Now.
I enjoyed being transported to the city, Back Then.
I thought UGH when I had to be Elsewhere.

Maybe it’s because I have miserable memories, or that I was grounded for coming home after curfew too, but the way Ivy kicks off her summer break Right Now resonates with me. She just broke up with her boyfriend, is stuck at home, and her mom starts acting strangely. After a few too many discoveries of this strange behavior, like finding a jar with blood in it buried in the garden, Ivy starts to ask her brother for his thoughts. But being home from college and having a boyfriend who texts him a lot, he’s too preoccupied to obsess about it like Ivy. Feeling confined, confused, and concerned, it was again easy to relate to her.

It’s much more whimsical Back Then with Dana and Fee. Full of intuition and curiosity, they meet a new friend who is older, full of ambition, and leads them into awakening dark magic within the trio. Dana and Fee start to see a world of magical possibilities but also wonder who they can trust. After making a few consecutive poor choices, they find themselves in a freefall toward chaos. Back Then had one drawback for me, I resonate more with Dana and Fee Right Now.

I get why I had to go Elsewhere, but I’m so glad I wasn’t there often. The only thing worse than the location was being so close to the antagonist. Way to go Melissa for making me feel like I didn’t want to be there because no one wants that.

Quick side note, a boy who is going to wait around for me for years after my mom broke his heart for me…sign me up. #fictionalboyfriend

Goodreads - 3/27/22 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4514491218
Instagram - review to come May '22 https://www.instagram.com/lindseyschmitz_/

Ivy is haunted - haunted by her recent ex, her mother's disdain, and the naked woman she found laughing in the creek who whispered her name. Clearly some of these things are more pressing than others, but when she finds a slaughtered rabbit on her door step and her mother goes missing, Ivy is propelled towards figuring out what is the connection.

Rewind 20 years and Ivy's mom is a teenager just trying to get through life with her best friend when the two girls meet an older teen how promises them power, wisdom, and freedom. All they have to do is join her coven and follow everything and old occultist book tells them. What could go wrong, right? Just as her mom is beginning to understand the danger her coven is getting themselves into, Ivy begins to remember things. Things that suggest she has been through all of this before...

Shocker, I loved it. Look, I love a good witch story (what can I say) and I appreciate that this was unusually dark for YA. I think that sets this story apart and will capture more horror readers than the typical fantasy lovers. Both plot lines felt full - neither was leading and I never wanted to rush through one perspective to get back to the other. This is a definite purchase for my high school library collection.

If I had to pick the weakest part of the book it would be the men. Not a huge surprise since this book is so focused on motherhood/sisterhood through witchcraft and men are not typically involved in that equation, but I felt like both of the Ivy's romantic relationships were kind of empty, and I am not sure why her Dad stays in the environment he is in quite frankly. This is a minor complaint because considering all the great books out there with a host of multidimension male characters and only a handful of females exclusively present for romantic plot points, this is a nice 'turn of the tables' if you will.

Thank you NetGalley and Melissa Albert for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I seem to be on a trend of reading books about magic, and dark magic at that, and this book certainly does not disappoint. Ivy and her mom don’t have a great relationship, she feels like her mom doesn’t connect with her and sometimes won’t even look her in the eye. But after finding a strange woman in the woods one night Ivy is forced to reevaluate everything she knows about her life thus far. Wow this book obviously deals with magic, it also deals with how guilt can either way it in person, how important friendships and relationships are in overcoming obstacles, and how everyone has a touch of magic inside of them. A great read and when I look forward to bringing into my classroom.

Such a gripping, intricately spun coming of age story about motherhood, childhood, and all its modern horrors. This was a very tightly paced, well-plotted novel, and the dual narratives worked cohesively to shape and inform the relationship between mother Dana and daughter Ivy. I love the decision to tell this story within the context of witchcraft - both the emotional conflict and magical conflict are historically attached to femininity, but the novel carves out the space for these subjects to be brutal, too. Only reason I'm not giving this 5 stars is because the ending felt a little too clean for me - as much as these characters deserve their happy ending, I was left wanting more.

Overall, such a fun, twisty read.

This book has major creepy vibes. I’m not sure why I picked it up with the rabbit cover art since I was so freaked out by Mona Awad’s Bunny.

This book is written in dual timelines which helps edge up the mystery/thriller factor a bit, but it is definitely a bit bizarre.

Imagine seeing a naked woman running down the street and she knows your name? If you think that’d be incredibly creepy, you’re right. That is how this book starts.

I received a digital ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

For me, Albert is one of the best when it comes to creating dark, eerie, fairy-tale flavored books that keep me reading, page after page, until I've finished the entire book in one sitting. This is two stories in one -- the story of a teenage daughter struggling to understand her mother, and the story of that mother and teenage actions that continue to reverberate with her family. For me, both stories worked well, although Ivy's story feels a little slower and more repetitive -- and that feels like an intentional choice to give the mother's story more time to play out. But that's a minor quibble. The writing here is GORGEOUS, as usual, and it just enhances the story in so many ways.

I struggle with books where we have multiple timelines or characters and this was one of those. I inevitably get more invested in one part of the story and it's jarring when we jump back. I also was not particularly in the mood for dark and creepy, which were the vibes I was getting from this.

I was very confused while reading this book. The writing style was nothing special and I couldn't care for the characters.

This story is told through alternating points of view between Ivy and her mom Dana. Witchcraft seems to be a new thing in YA literature right now and that's the focus of this story. No thanks. I remember 2008 and all of the vampire/werewolf stories. Please don't do thay to us again. I didn't care for any of the characters here and there wasn't a compelling storyline to help drive the plot.

Melissa Albert’s storytelling feels stronger than ever in this engrossing novel that follows Ivy and her mother Dana in alternating chapters. Brooding teenager, Ivy begins to uncover the truth of who her mother really is in a story set in the suburban present while the reader is given the deliciously dark and compelling story of Dana and her best friend Fee, in the urban past.

Dana and Fee discover witchcraft as teenagers and quickly get in over their heads leading to life-long consequences of their dark practices. Both Dana and Ivy’s stories are compelling and skillfully interwoven. I was pleasantly surprised to not see the twist coming as the timelines of the characters began to converge and pick up even more speed. I enjoyed every suspenseful minute of this novel, will be purchasing it for our library, recommending it to our readers, and recommending that other librarians add it to their fantasy and paranormal collection as well.